Young and Justice are Two Separate Things
by TheDaughterBox
Summary: For some teenagers, it takes great effort to appear normal. Especially when said teenagers are moonlighting as a superpowered covert ops team. Yeah, saying you didn't do the math homework because you were busy dodging bullets isn't flying as an excuse.
1. Chapter 1

"One more minute dude! I just need one more minute!"

"Rob, I don't wanna rush you, but you _really_ need you to hurry it up a little-"

"One more minute? You've been saying _'one more minute' _for the past _twenty freaking minutes_! What the hell have you been doing over there, updating your Facebook status?"

"Who was even _talking_ to you Artemis? Because I didn't hear Rob say anything about needing an expert in _being negative_! When the mission calls for someone to complain and point out the obvious, we'll be sure-"

"_Status update: In battle. Playing with wrist comm. while other team members get asses kicked. Maybe get pizza later when everyone else is _dead_-" _

"Were you talking to her Rob, because I'm pretty sure you said '_dude.'_"Kid Flash paused, a foot on some thug's chest. "Unless you have something to tell us _Arty._" He shoved the man beneath him into the hard oak desk for emphasis.

The archer cartwheeled and hit another thug in the jaw with her bow, sending him flying back into the office's dark wood paneling. He hit with a satisfying _thud. _"Oh, I'll tell you something alright-"

"Guys! Could you both stop arguing for like, five minutes? This system is giving me the runaround-"

"Okay Robin, _just give me one more minute!_" Artemis snarled, whipping an arrow out of her quiver and aiming for particularly brutish man's knee. She fired and watched with glee as he collapsed in on himself and fell to the floor. _Well, at least _something _is going right tonight. _

"Guys, I'm serious! Every time I try to hack the mainframe I keep being rerouted into different portals." Robin's head nodded down at his wrist before coming back up to the computer screen. "None of the usual codes are working!"

"You're making it sound like this guy's personal computer is holding the secret of life or something." Kid Flash ducked as a henchman pulled a thick plank from the wall and swung it him. Faster than the man could blink, Kid wretched the makeshift weapon from his hands and turned it against him, smacking him across the face. The thug sunk to the floor.

" 'Cause it could man! The Bat didn't say what kind of files were on here, only that this business tycoon dude might be pulling some kind of shady deal with the Shadows. This could be the kind of break we need!" Robin groaned. "If I could only now break this security lock!"

Giving the last conscious guard in the room a good roundhouse kick to the stomach, Artemis vaulted to the oak desk and peered over Robin's shoulder. Thousands of lines of fluorescent green zeros and ones flashed back, leaving her head spinning and spots in her eyes.

"See, not so easy, is it?" She blinked. Robin was looking up at her, trademark insane grin already pulling at his lips.

Fighting the urge to punch his pearly white teeth out, Artemis sighed. "Can you just get back to figuring this out so we can all go home? I'd like to get _some _sleep tonight."

The Boy Wonder actually _laughed, _turning to face the screens once more. "People still do that?"

"What, _sleep_?" Artemis hissed. She had ran out of patience around the time some _idiot _had dragged her about the office by her ponytail_, _and really wasn't in the mood for Robin's frequently _pointless_ mind games.

"What else would we be talking about?"

Artemis stared at the boy in disbelief. "Why that's the stupidest thing I've ever-"

"Nah, it's totally true." Kid Flash was suddenly beside them, and the archer flinched for a quick second before balling her hands into fists and locking her stance.

She hated how he could sneak up on her like that.

She also hated how Robin didn't even _react_ to someone just randomly appearing next to him out of thin air.

"Rob doesn't sleep. Like ever. I think he might be some kind of vampire." Kid continued, whispering conspiracy.

"Bleh! I vant to suck your blood!" Robin chuckled and pulled his cape over to cover his face. "Bleh!"

" How do I always get stuck with you two?" Artemis moaned as Kid Flash snickered and pretended to have fangs.

At this moment, Aqualad ran in from the hall, followed in hot pursuit by Miss Martian and Superboy. Breathlessly he said, "Have the incriminating documents been obtained?"

"I just need one more minute."

"Of course you do." The archer slumped against the bookcase to her right.

"No, for real this time." Robin's fingers were flying, moving in one big blur. The five other teenagers crowded around him, all leaning in and craning their necks over each other in an attempt to see better.

"_Hello Megan_, you can fly!" M'gann hit her head, floating above Aqualad.

Artemis wished she would stop saying that catchphrase from that blasted TV show. It grated on her nerves on a good day.

This was not a good day.

"Annnnnnnd… done." Robin said, ending with a flourish of his hand.

The Young Justice team watched in wonder as a simple message appeared on the computer screen.

Then came the horror.

Aqualad started to read the note out loud. "If you are reading this, you have completed this test mission. Report tomorrow for real mission. Batman."

"This was a test?" Kid Flash was quiet, but growing louder. "I missed my precious sleep time _for a test!_"

Aqualad closed his eyes.

"I guess he wanted to see if we were ready for the … real … mission?" Miss Martian squeaked unhelpfully.

"Well, obviously we _weren't _ready if it took Boy Genius over here two hours to hack a damn calculator." Artemis regarded them all coldly. It was times like these when she couldn't tell the difference between her new team training and still being under her father's demanding thumb.

"I think that was because this is Wayne Tech." Looking under the desk, Robin poked at the wires. "You think this is Wayne Tech? Now that software is real hard to hack-"

"Why are you so _happy _right now, dude?" Kid Flash nearly shouted, pacing the room at faster and faster revolutions. "Your mentor just completely trolled us!"

"Because he does stuff like this all the time." Robin remarked nonchalantly, as though he was describing the weather. "You know," His voiced dropped into a gravelly monotone. "'Prepare for anything' and 'Always have fifteen backup plans.'" He glanced at the murderous expressions surrounding him . "No one else does this kind of training?"

"No." They all spoke in unison.

To that, Robin could only shrug. "Do you think he put up cameras to watch us?" Darting around the room, he prodded at floor lamps and pulled out books from the shelves. "I bet he put up cameras."

No one dared to say a word as Robin practically _pranced _across the room, all opting instead to think about how Batman was probably all up in the Batcave or Batjet or Batwhatever Batlaughing his Batass off.

"I feel … whelmed." Superboy finally muttered gravely.

"So do I big guy," Artemis murmured. "So do I."

* * *

><p>AN: Ah, the fresh smell of new story. Don't know how long this one is going to be, only that it's going to have have the Team dealing with school in between missions, Batman trolling, Artemis angst, haircuts, death defying, Red Arrow PMSing, Cheshire, WallArt, SuperMartian, and maybe even a little Robin/Toaster.

Yeah, I don't know where I'm going with this either. Should be fun though.


	2. Chapter 2

_I should of dodged right instead of left…_

Last night's battle flashed before Artemis's eyes, replaying itself over and over in her mind.

The mistakes she had made were glaringly obvious.

_If I had looked behind me after doing that kick, I wouldn't have been so open to attack…_ After years of careful conditioning, it was a automatic reflex -like breathing really- go over what she had done wrong during the latest fight, and how she could have done better.

After all, in the business she was in, you needed to take all the training you could get just to survive.

She winced, feeling the ghost of a particularly painful punch to the abdomen. _I need to think more about what direction I'm flipping in, and whether or not it's full of bad guys with names like _Meat Fist_. _

Somewhere far off, Artemis could hear her name being called. _Artemis… Artemis…._Who was that? She watched as a thug flitted across her eyelids. Did Miss Martian get captured again? _Artemis…_The voice was growing more and more shrill. Did Robin need her for something?

"Miss Crock!" There was a _whack _as Ms. Johnson's wooden pointer slammed into Artemis's desk. The archer bolted upright, muscles tensed and prepared to strike out.

The rest of the class snickered at her. "Miss Crock," Ms. Johnson hissed. "I know the history of this world may seem especially boring to someone like _you_, but, for the sake of appearances, at least _pretend _to be interested." Sinking lower in her seat, Artemis glowered at her desktop, saying nothing. At Gotham Academy, if you weren't rich even the _teachers _treated you like a second class citizen.

Ms. Johnson raised her chin haughtily. " Of course, if you really need your sleep that badly, I suppose the kindergarten classes are having their naptime right around now." Artemis bit her lip and seethed silently, not meeting the teacher's eye.

Now wasn't the time to bring up how she only got two hours of sleep the night before, squeezed in between getting a fake mission from a man dressed as a giant bat and almost being set on fire. By Meat Fist. Who she really should have learned to avoid from the first go round.

"Didn't think so." Ms. Johnson smiled sweetly, returning to the blackboard.

"Now class, today we will be starting a new project. You will work in pairs-" A small cheer resounded through the room."-that I will choose." ( Make that a small _groan _resounded through the room.)

"I have already passed out your project sheets, which has all the criteria by which I will grading this assignment on, as well as all the dates everything must be turned in." Glaring at each student, Ms. Johnson folded her arms across her chest. "And everyone please make note that, if you do not turn the assignment in on time, I will not waste _my time _to grade it."

Internally, Artemis rolled her eyes. Teachers always said stuff like that, and then ended up giving you an extra week anyway. _Besides, it isn't as if _she's _out saving the world; how important can her time be? _

Slowly Ms. Johnson read off the teams she had picked for the project, almost savoring the dejected faces and sluggish movements of her pupils as they took seats next to their partners.

"Artemis," Ms. Johnson sighed, stabbing a perfectly manicured finger toward another student. "You will be working with Richard." Rolling her eyes, she muttered not quite under her breath, "Maybe _his_ good behavior will start to rub off on _you_."

Artemis collected her books and stomped her way to the other side of the room. It was just her luck that she got paired with the richest prick in school. _Here's to having _even more _passive aggressive insults hurled my way. _

"It's okay." Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she pulled a chair over to Richard's desk. " Don't get up."

A funny sort of smile crossed his face, but he said nothing.

"So what are we doing here?" Sinking into her seat, Artemis scanned the assignment sheet. "Okay, so we have to pick a country-"

"You're not even going to introduce yourself?"

She sighed in annoyance. "Hello. My name is Sleeping Beauty, nice to meet you-"

"No, I'm being serious."

"What?" She glanced upward from the page to find Richard leaning on the desk, head in hand, with that same stupid grin. Artemis snorted. "I've only been in this class with you for how many months already? I know you wealthy folk couldn't give a damn about a lowly peasant such as myself, but if you seriously don't know my name by now-"

"Oh, I know your name. Artemis." If it was even possible, his smile got wider. It was starting to creep her out a little.

In a _aw-how-cute-the-midget-is-trying-to-scare-me_ sort of way.

Richard continued. "I just meant that we should like, acquaint ourselves. With each other. Formally. It's how we 'wealthy folk' roll."

"Okay then, when you put it like that. We can acquaint. Formally." Pursing her lips, Artemis inclined her head towards Richard. This kid was weird, but then again, _weird_ was the only way to describe the types of people she seemed to attract these days.

And at least he hadn't acted like he was better than her because had a big fancy house and a dad whose foundation often gave her large sums of money to pay for a school she didn't like. Yet.

(He also didn't have green skin or gills or was a ginger; being measured against these traits, Richard seemed normal in comparison.)

Reluctantly she stuck out her hand. "Artemis. Artemis Crock."

"Like the Greek goddess. Cool." He grasped her hand firmly and shook.

"Nice to finally meet you Artemis Crock. I'm Richard Grayson."

* * *

><p>"So how was your day, Artemis?" Robin sounded innocent, but there was an inexplicable smirk playing at his lips. "Meet anyone new?"<p>

The archer scowled. "It was a _fantastic _day_._" She grumbled, pushing him out of the doorway to enter Mount Justice's kitchen. Robin seemed completely unperturbed by her moodiness, giggling in that half crazed manner as he took a seat on the counter next to Kid Flash.

Artemis flung open the refrigerator door with a _bang_, pointedly ignoring Miss Martian's and Aqualad's worried glances as she rooted around from a water bottle.

"Alright everyone, back to what I was saying before I was _rudely interrupted _by Miss Fashionably Late," Kid Flash started, smoothing out the crinkled piece of paper he held. "My Aunt I says it looks good on college applications if I have some kind of extracurricular activity-"

"How about cheerleading?" Doing a small jump and kick, Miss Martian grinned.

"It's really fun, and you meet all these new people, and the cheerleaders totally aren't as mean as they seem on televi-"

"Okay, hold your horses M&M." Kid Flash put his hands up to silence her. " I don't really know if that kind of thing is right for me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am flexible…" Kid Flash trailed off suggestively. Artemis chucked the now empty water bottle at his head, which he dodged easily and threw back with a glare.

"Do you not think being a hero is enough of an extracurricular?" Aqualad cut in, leaning back against the cabinets.

"Pssh." Kid Flash rolled his eyes. "I can multitask! I think everyone is forgetting who they're talking to here." He threw his shoulders back in a heroic pose. "I'm Kid Flash. Fastest boy alive."

"More like fastest _idiot _alive."

"Artemis, please refrain from commenting." Aqualad muttered. Clasping his hands together tightly, he stood back up straight. "Kid Flash," Aqualad began. "I do not doubt your ability to hold more than one commitment to something at a time. I am just saying that sometimes you have a tendency to … lose focus if your attention is divided."

"Huh?" Kid Flash furrowed his brow.

"He's saying you have the attention span of a hummingbird on meth-"

"Artemis, I asked you not to comment."

"Whoa dude," Robin whispered loudly, hitting Kid Flash on the arm. " I think Artemis just sulted you!"

"Sulted?" Superboy asked flatly, walking into the room.

"You know, like _insulted_. Sulted." Robin explained to the dubious crowd. "I thought it up just now!"

"Wait, I'm confused. Do you mean, like, Artemis was stating a fact?" Miss Martian questioned.

"Dude, don't back her up!" Kid Flash shouted at a grinning Robin while gesturing at Artemis.

"Well I'm right."

"Artemis you are still not helping this situation." Aqualad closed his eyes.

"Look guys, all I wanted was a little help picking out an after school activity to, you know, keep me off the streets, but if I'm going to keep being insulted or sulted or whatever-"

"Aqualad and Artemis are right. You become too easily distracted to take on more than one responsibility at a time." Everyone except Robin jumped in fright as Batman ghosted across the kitchen threshold.

Kid Flash recovered first. "I am perfectly capable of managing my time _and_ attention span in a way so that - hey, it's you!"

Batman gave him a withering look. "Yes, it's me."

"KF, I think you just proved everybody's point." Robin chuckled.

"No, I mean …" For once Kid seemed at a loss for words. "Batman…You… not send we on mission fully other time!"

…This would be a good opportunity to point out how sometimes Kid Flash's mouth can't catch up with his brain in time, leaving him to come out with a jumble of a sentence instead of a fully coherent thought.

…You know, for future reference. (Because according to Kid's standards _sometimes _is actually a special code for twice a day.)

"He's mad you sent us out on a fake mission last night." Robin translated, rolling his eyes and shrugging at his mentor.

Batman was unmoved. "You all said you wanted to go on a mission."

"Not at three a.m.," Artemis mumbled under her breath.

He ignored the archer, staring each teenager down. "I gave you a mission."

Aqualad stepped forward. "Yes, and I do not challenge your wisdom about this but-"

"Sleep times are precious. My precious," Kid Flash growled.

Everyone turned to Robin. "Hey, I don't even know what he's talking about there." He said, shrugging again.

"What I want to know is if that mission was actually _for _something?" Superboy slouched against the oven. "Or were we just pointlessly running around-"

"Everything I make you do has a _point_." Batman said, monotone breaking down into a low hiss.

"See everyone, no reason to get mad, I told you he knows what he's doing. The man likes to plan things out, give him a break." Bounding up from his place, Robin went to go stand next to Batman. "Isn't that right-"

Batman cut Robin off. "You all need to learn how to work as a cohesive unit." He glanced pointedly at Aqualad. "By having a plan set in place _before _you all start throwing punches," Then a glance at Kid Flash and Artemis. " By not _fighting with your own teammates _when you are supposed to be fighting the enemy," And finally a downward glare at Robin. "And by not fooling around when you are supposed to be working."

"So I take it then that you did set up cameras to watch us?" Robin said mildly. "I knew it!"

"That's not important right now."

"I'm just saying. I was right."

"Sooooo then," Miss Martian said awkwardly, first to break the we-just-got-scolded-by-the-Batman-we're-failures-forever silence. "What's the real mission then? The one you talked about on your note?"

Sighing in frustration, Batman turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. Without a word, Robin followed.

"Does this mean we go too?" Kid Flash yelled after the duo. His question was met with no reply.

"I…guess…so?" Miss Martian answered, floating out the door and down the hall after them.

By the time the rest of the team had made it to the Ops Center, Batman was already at the central computer, browsing through files that Artemis guessed from the looks of them had nothing to do with what the Team was currently doing.

"Tommorrow night you will be performing a mission not unlike the one from last night." Back to the teenagers, Batman did not look up from his work as he spoke.

"As you may have noticed, over the past month many diplomats, ambassadors and bussiness leaders have been disappearing or turning up dead. We think the League of Shadows may be connected."

"That would make sense. Cheshire tried to murder Lex Luthor before she was stopped." Aqualad noted.

"Was I not invited to that? 'Cause I don't remember that happening." Kid Flash, said, looking around at equally puzzled faces. Artemis stiffened at mention of Cheshire, but no one seemed to notice.

Batman ignored him, responding to Aqualad. "Exactly. Only now they've gotten smarter about it. Been taking down people more out of the public eye, though no less powerful."

"Bad time to be in politics, huh?" Robin said without humor.

Finding what he was searching for, Batman made motions to send the files to the Batcave database before turning back around to face the group.

"You will be infiltrating a missing senator's office to obtain some documents left on this computer. Maybe we can glean some kind of connection he might have had with the Shadows from there."

"What should we do now though?" Cocking a hip, Artemis frowned. "I mean, we're all here and dressed for heroing-"

"Aw, poor Artie, all dressed up with nowhere to go." Putting a hand on his forehead, Kid Flash sighed dramatically. "What a tragedy."

"I'll make you're _face _a tragedy-"

"Enough you two." Batman growled. The pair immediately stood up straight, even if they were still giving each other angry sidelong glares.

"Everyone go get changed into your civilian clothes, and met back here in ten." Turning his back to them again, Batman began to walk down another corridor. "It's time for some team building."

* * *

><p>AN: Guess who went to the Bahamas and got stuck in a hurricane and couldn't post?

Anyway, this is the beginning of the plot, I think. Or not. Anyway, next chapter will have Batman Team Building Fun Time Yeah! Who needs plot when we have that?

...Ok, probably everyone. Everyone needs the plot.

Speaking of everyone, thank you all for reading/alerting/favoriting/reviewing! It was a joy to read that you guys liked my story as strong winds tore off chunks of my hotel! Gave me hope.

Also to answer Amozo28: It was Artemis who said that. And thank you for sharing with me!

Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

" And for what purpose does this serve?"

"Uh, Kaldur, that's a blender-" Artemis reached towards him, furrowing her brow. " It blends things. Please get your hand out of it. Thanks."

Kaldur carefully removed his fingers from between the rotator blades and held the appliance up to light, still in deep contemplation. Artemis sighed and turned away. When Batman first said 'team building,' she had imagined strenuous training regimes, combat simulations, and maybe like, that trust fall game.

Batman was never really one for being predictable though.

"Oh! We're going to need that too!" Megan called from the other end of the aisle. "Hold on to that Kaldur!"

He nodded once at her. "I shall. This 'blender' is a most intriguing piece of equipment, to say the least. There is nothing like it in Atlantis."

Rubbing her temples, Artemis glared at her leader. "Hey, Kaldur," She muttered. "Glad you're having fun, but keep it down with the Atlantis stuff, okay? We're just supposed to be normal kids, shopping at the…" Artemis cringed. "…_ mall_."

Looking down for a moment in shame, he turned the blender idly in his hands. "I understand your concern Artemis. It was rather foolish of me to mention-"

"Hand. Out. Of. The. Blade."

He grinned sheepishly at her. "Apologies. Honestly, I am only curious."

"Yeah sure." She groused. Babysitting an Atlantean 'curious about the surface world' (Translation: 'Oh, let me go stick my hands in ovens and salad choppers and watch Artemis freak out for the lulz') had _not _be on her to do list for today.

Skipping over, Megan came to a stop in front of the pair. The girl had been in her glory all afternoon, dragging her mostly unwilling teammates (Wally would, in his words 'Follow that sweet green apple anywhere') around the Happy Harbor Shopping Mall, flashing all the while the mysterious credit card Batman had given them.

"How much money may we spend?" Kaldur had wondered, having Megan nearly tear off his arm in her attempt to grasp at the thick plastic rectangle.

"That's not my problem," Batman responded cryptically.

Robin had, at this, nodded his head like he understood completely, confounding the rest of the team even more.

"Wait, is this the 'Bat' way of telling us you stole it?" Wally smirked knowingly.

"No."

"Oh my," Meagan breathed, taking the blender from Kaldur. She ran her fingers gently over the glass, in the manner one would stroke a fine gem. Or a cat. "Just think of all the smoothies we can make with this!" Suddenly, she clamped down on Artemis's arm and shook violently. "_Smoothies_ Artemis." Megan whispered with a maniac grin.

"Yeah um, okay Megan." Artemis slowly inched out of the other girl's grasp. "We can … make smoothies. Maybe we can even add _fruit _if we're feeling really daring."

Megan squealed, causing Kaldur to flinch. "You really want to Artemis? I mean, I've never had a smoothie before, but I've heard they're like, the best things _ever_, and we could maybe even make it like, a _thing _or at least a party or something because Conner has never had one either-" Breaking off mid-sentence, Megan glanced up wildly, peering down both ends of the aisle.

"Conner?" She looked around again, biting her lip. "Oh, he was right behind me five seconds ago!" Running back down to where she had came from, she called Conner's name again.

"Hmmm," Kaldur tried and failed to hide his small, growing smile. "I have not tasted this 'smoothie' myself. What makes up its composition, exactly?"

Rolling her eyes, Artemis stomped off in the direction Megan had gone. " It's only a drink made with like, ice cream and fruit and stuff. I think." She scowled. Did she even know what a smoothie was made of? Did she even _need _to know? Who asks these kinds of questions?

"Ah, I see. " They rounded a corner. Neither Conner nor Megan were in sight. "I might have to sample such a beverage - for educational purposes only, of course. It is good to be knowledgeable about other culture's customs." He said, nodding his head seriously.

Artemis sighed again. "If you want to come to the smoothie party we're apparently throwing, you're welcome to. No one cares whether or not you're on 'official leader business.'"

"I care. My King would not like it if I wasted my time here."

Shrugging, Artemis peeked down a another aisle, this one lined with Tupperware. Still no sign of them. "It's not time wasting. More like _team building._" She clarified, spiting out Batman's own phrasing.

Kaldur raised his eyebrows at her. "While I agree that Batman's … methods are a tad … odd, there is no reason-"

"He's making us turn all Suzy Homemaker." She scoffed. "I mean, really? Having us decorate Mount Justice? How is this supposed to make us better fighters?"

Regarding her carefully, Kaldur adjusted the cuff of his turtleneck. "It is not about how good we are as fighters, but how well we use our individual skills in a team setting. Perhaps he meant this exercise to be a way to better understand each other's own styles, and forge a better sense of cooperation among us."

"Yeah well…" All at once, Artemis was very concerned with finding their wayward teammates. How was it that Kaldur _always _had the most sensible answer? Couldn't a girl just be inexplicably angry without someone constantly being there to burst her bubble of rage? Was that too much to ask?

"Besides," Kaldur said offhandedly. "Was it not you who said to not mention things outside what is considered 'normal'? Like _Mount Justice_-"

"Alright I get it, respect your elders. Lesson learned. No need to show me up."

Smiling at her, Kaldur gave a little chuckle. "Now, if only the rest of the team were here to learn such lessons."

"I know," Artemis narrowed her eyes. " Conner and Megan go off and pull a Houdini right under our noses, and have you even _seen _Wally and Robin for the past hour?"

"Not since Wally insisted on visiting food court." Kaldur confirmed, scanning aisle after empty aisle.

"They're never this quiet," She growled. "Which could only mean that they're up to something…"

"What trouble may they get in to here? If we are posing as civilians then surely they would know better than to-"

"DUDE!" A voice screeched, followed by the sound of a loud crash, and boxes tumbling "Watch where you're going!"

Artemis and Kaldur looked at each other for a split second, before taking off toward the direction of the ruckus.

"That kind of trouble." Artemis said, skidding to a stop next to a row of fallen shelves. Boxes and bags littered the floor, with a few cans still rolling about and down the aisle. In the center of the chaos was a bent shopping cart, covered in smashed and beaten merchandise. From where she stood, Artemis could see a foot trying to wriggle its way out of the boxes.

Robin's foot. What did anyone expect?

Kaldur mumbled what sounded like a curse in Atlantean, viewing the scene in horror. Breathing deeply, Artemis folded her arms across her chest and gritted her teeth. Strangling her teammates probably wasn't a part of 'team building.' (But oh, how she wished it was.)

From out of a pile of boxes on the floor, up popped Wally. "Rob! Rob!" He shouted, dashing over to the cart. "Speak to me buddy!" A gurgling noise emitted from deep within the boxes.

Wally began to dig through the merchandise, tossing each thing carelessly to the side. "Rob! Just breathe man, I'll dig you out! Don't die on me! What would I do if you're dead? Who would I make jelly pizzas with! Artemis? _She doesn't know the recipe!_"

"Jelly pizza sounds like something gross anyway." Storming over, Artemis pushed Wally out of the way, and grabbed Robin's shoe. She started to tug.

"No it's not; you obviously have terrible taste because jelly pizza is like an explosion of joy in your mouth."

"Uh huh," Grunting, Artemis strained to free Robin's legs, followed his torso.

"You're just skeptical 'cause you can't feel joy." Wally turned his face up childishly. "Your body rejects feelings of happiness, or something."

"I'd feel happy with my fingers around your throat," Artemis muttered.

Regaining the ability to think past the _oh fantastic, _these_ are the people who I lead into battle on a daily basis_ shame, Kaldur rushed to the shopping cart. "Here, I shall assist you Artemis."

With Kaldur's help and Wally's panicked breathing down her neck, Artemis was finally able to pull Robin out of the cart and lay him onto the ground.

Weakly, Robin gestured for Wally to come closer.

"Rob!" Wally cried dramatically, shoving Kaldur and Artemis out of the way.

"Oh brother," Putting her hands on her hips, Artemis glared as Wally flopped onto the ground.

"Do not get involved." Kaldur spoke quietly. " We shall have a talk with them later, in private."

"Why do those two always feel the need to act like idiots around me, Kaldur? Does something about my face scream _moron magnet_?"

"Wallace, my child, come closer." Robin whispered, pulling Wally down by the collar of his shirt. "I see… a light."

Wally gasped. " Don't go towards the light Rob! It may feel all soft and nice but just think of how much your dad would kill you if you died!"

"But if he's already dead-"

"Artemis, we're having a _moment_!" Wally screeched.

"Walrus," Robin puffed out.

"…You know I hate it when you call me that, but okay, this time I'll let it slide."

"Walrus," Bringing Wally down even closer to his face, Robin puffed again.

"Yes?"

"Next time we race shopping carts through the mall-" Without warning, Robin flipped up and away from Wally, landing neatly on his feet next to Artemis. "-I'm driving."

"Dude!" Wally shouted as Robin cackled.

"Alright, are we done here? Your performance was freaking Oscar worthy Robin; are we allowed to go home now?" Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Dude!" Wally exclaimed again.

"We must locate Conner and Megan before we depart." Kaldur took stock of the surrounding area. "And perhaps it would be best to assist in restocking the shelves,"

"Dude!" Was all Wally seemed to be capable of saying.

"Is that you Wally?" Megan's voice pierced the air. "Is Artemis with you? I want her opinion on this bedspread I picked out for her room; I think it's cute but Conner said he didn't know and-"

She rounded the corner and stopped abruptly, taking in the scene. Boxes everywhere. Wally, in shock. Artemis, pissed off. Robin, laughing crazily. Kaldur, hanging his head. "Ummm…." Biting her lip, she seemed conflicted on whether or not she was going to pretend that she didn't know these people.

"Du- oh hey, beautiful!" Shaking off his stupor, Wally dashed toward Megan, smacking Robin on the way over.

"Hey, what was that for?" Robin rubbed the back of his head.

"For making him look like an ass in front of 'his sweet green apple'." Smugly, Artemis flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Sweet green what?" Megan frowned in confusion.

"Oh, nothing beautiful, nothing. Artemis must be hearing things; very sad state of affairs she's been in lately, it's a darn shame."

"Oh, I'm in a sad state of affairs? Says the guy who had to have his aunt make a special phone call just to tell him to wash-"

"You said you were going to leave the room! You were going to the gym! Why are you eavesdropping on my personal calls woman?"

"Maybe if you learned how to use your inside voice once and a while, I wouldn't have to suffer the pleasure of having to hear about your bathing habits. Or _lack _of thereof!"

"Well-"

"Enough-" Kaldur started cooly.

"Stay out of this!" Both Wally and Artemis shouted in unison.

"Yeah dude, this is getting good." Robin waved his hand. "Go on, Wally, you were making a probably pathetic attempt at a rebuttal."

"Dude, why do you always take her side?"

"Ummm…" Twisting her hands nervously, Megan slowly backed up the aisle. "Maybe I should go see if Conner needs help carrying anything…"

"No, Megan come back!" So intent on reaching Megan, Wally didn't notice the large cooking pot that was directly in his path.

"Wally-" Megan tried to warn him.

"It's okay-whoa!" He tripped, falling forward and landing with a _thud. "_Owwww…."

"OMG Wally, are you all right?" Running forward, Megan knelt down on the ground beside him.

" I'm all good, I think." Wincing, he sat up. "Though I think I _may _need you to play nurse for a bit, beautiful-"

"Oh shut up, you're fine." Striding over, Artemis pulled him roughly to his feet.

Robin snickered. " Doesn't this bring back memories, Artie? Wallace over there face-planting was how you two lovebirds first met, after all."

"We're not love birds!" Artemis and Wally both grumbled.

"Ahem." Clearing his throat, Kaldur glanced at them all. "My apologies for interrupting your … spat, but I feel as though it is our responsibility to right the destruction we have caused, and assist in cleaning up this aisle."

Nodding his head, Robin surveyed the scene. "You know Kaldur, I actually think we don't need to help. If you ask me this place is looking pretty good. Yup," He nudged a box to the side with his foot. "Pretty good."

"Yeah, I agree with Rob. It'll get cleaned up eventually. " Stretching his arms over his head, Kid Flash turned to leave.

"If you just used your super speed, you could get it done in three seconds." Artemis muttered under her breath.

"No," Kaldur gripped Wally's shoulder. "I insist."

"Uh, looking a little intense there, Kaldur-"

" Where did you guys go?" A mountain of shopping bags with legs gruffly barked.

"Conner! It's so good that you're here, we could really use your help!" Megan chirped.

Conner peered over the large stack of packages he carried, staring at first at the mess, and then at his team members. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in the food court." He said finally, walking away.

"But we _do_ need-"

"I think that's his way of telling us he doesn't want to deal."

Kaldur started to arrange the shelves back into their original order. "Let us just try then-"

"Hey, you kids!" The five teenagers froze. Standing at the beginning of the aisle was a woman in a red store uniform, hands on her hips. She glared at them and snapped her gum. "Were you the idiots who caused this mess?"

No one said a word. The woman squinted. "I'm calling security." She spoke slowly, taking out a phone from the pocket of her vest.

The wheels in Artemis's brain began to turn as her father's training kicked in. _Secruity equals police equals get the hell out of there! _

"Madame, I can explain-" Kaldur began.

"No time for explaining, run!" Artemis hissed, grabbing both Kaldur and Megan by the arm and running towards the store entrance. Robin quickly weighed his options (Being arrested and killed by Batman vs. just being killed by Batman when he found out about this) and followed behind the trio.

"Hey, wait up!" Wally yelled, taking off.

"Get back here!" The woman exclaimed. They all paid no heed to her, instead chosing to vault over shelves and slide under tables and generally disrupt what was otherwise a peaceful day.

Reaching the entrance to the store, all five managed to squeeze through the door roughly at the same time, and started to sprint down the center of the mall.

_Well_, Artemis thought, pulling Kaldur along as he protested. _If this isn't team building, I don't know what is._


End file.
